Match-box.



INo. MILZGZ. Patented Ian. 2, I900. T. A. BELL.

MATCH BOX.

(Application filed Apr. 22, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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THOMAS ADDISON BELL, OF BlRMlNGllAM, ALABAMA.

iViATGl-t-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,262, dated January 2, 1900.

Application filed April 22, 1899. Serial No. 714,094. (No model.)

To ctZ-Z whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS ADDISON BELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Match-Box, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to that class of matchboxes adapted to be carried in the pocket; and the object of the invention is to provide an improved match-box of this class having means whereby a match may be lighted in the act of withdrawing it from the box;

iVith this object in view myinvention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and afterward specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which myinvention most nearly appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a matchbox constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is asectional view of the same. Figs. 3, a, and 5 are views in side elevation of examples of match-boxes embodying my invention, and Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a catch-spring detached.

Like numerals of reference mark the same parts wherever they occur in the various figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 10 indicates the body of a pocket match box or safe, which for the purposes of my invention may be made of various materials, preferably of light sheet metal, and so far as its general form is concerned may be of various shapes.

11 indicates the lid or cover of the box, preferably made of the same material and of corresponding shape with the box. This lid is hinged to the box, which is provided with a spring, as at 12, bearing against the inside of the lid with a normal tendency to throw it to its open position.

13 indicates a catch spring, of suit-able metal and of any approved form, secured to the box and adapted through the medium of a beveled latch end 14. to engage and hold the front edge of lid when closed down upon the box.

The meeting edges of the box and lid may be made straight, as in Figs. 1 and 2, but are preferably formed as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, in which the box is formed with cut-away recesses, technically termed thumb-notches, in its upper edges, as at 15, such recesses being located variously in said edges-as, for instance, near the front edge of the box, as in Fig. 3, or at about the middle of the edge, as in Fig. 1-, in which instances the notches are only a third or fourth as wide as the edge, or as in Fig. 5, in which the whole edge is cut away on an imvardly-curved' line to form a recess or notch. In each construction the lid will be shaped to correspond, being provided with a projecting portion, as at 16, to occupy and close the notch when the lid is closed down upon the box.

17 indicates a roughened or scratch surface formed on the catch-spring 13, a notch 18 being formed in its beveled latch end let to receive and guide a match while it is being withdrawn from the box and the usual push button 19 being provided, whereby the catch spring may be pressed inward to release its latch end from engagement with the edge of the lid. 20 indicates a correspondingly roughened or scratch surface in the lid extending to its catch edge 21, whereby when the lid is closed this surface will be substantially parallel and in contact with or very close to the scratch-surface 17 on the catch-spring 13, the catch edge 21 being provided with a notch 22, similar to and in corresponding position with the notch 18 of the catch-spring. The scratchsurfaces may be straight, curved, or inclined toward their centers, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, provided always that they substantially meet when the lid is closed down on the box.

The matches are placed in the box heads first, and when it is desired to Withdraw and light one the push-button is pressed, which, as before stated and as is usual in boxes of this general class, releases the catch-spring 13 from engagement with the catch edge 21 of the lid and permits the lid to be thrown open by spring 12. A match is now grasped, which action is facilitated by the existence of the thumb-notches, and carried into position in the notch 18 of the spring 13, when the lid is pressed inward, bringing its scratchsurface down on the match, when the match ispulled outward and ignited by reason of the frictional contact of its head with the roughened surfaces.

The advantages attending the use of this invention are numerous and obvious. The matches will be ignited during the process of Withdrawal from the box, thereby obviating the necessity of separate movements to ignite them on outside surfaces, which are sometimes not handy to reach and may be greasy or wet, which will prevent ignition. With this invention ignition is easy and sure, the scratch surfaces being always protected against Wet and grease, so that a match may be readily ignited even in the rain.

While Ihave illustrated and described what I consider to be the best means now known to me for carrying out my invention, I do not wish to be understood as restricting myself to the exact forms and constructions shown,

as many slight changes therein or variations therefrom might suggest themselves to the ordinary mechanic, all of which would be'clearly included within the limit and scope of my in- Vention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A match box provided with a catchspring having a roughened or scratch surface in combination with a lid provided with a similar, interior surface in position to meet the scratch-surface of the spring, when the lid is closed on the box,substantially as described.

2. A match boX provided with thumbnotches in its edges and a catch-spring provided with a scratch-surface, in combination with a spring-opening lid having projections to close the thumb-notches and a scratch-surface to meet that of the catch-spring, when the lid is closed on the box, substantially as described.

THOMAS ADDISON BELL.

Witnesses:

J. T. GLovER, WV. T. HILL. 

